San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-04-14
time adding to his duties those Of
Acting Secretary Of the Treasury.
Gen. Jss Johnstou's story.


Gen. Jss Johnston's Story.
After Lee had surrendered, and
while Jefferson Davis was marrying
through North Carolina, the famous
conference was held to decide what
should bo done by Gen. Joe john
ston with his army. From all the
accounts Of that conference and the
negotiations which followed, IL is APP
parent that Reagan was looked to as
the wisest counselor. Mr.. Davis was
strongly inclined to continue the war.
Gen. Johnston argued the uselessness
of further fighting, and Reagan sided
with him. Davis yielded, and when
il was decided that Breckenridge.
the Secretary Of War, should 60 back
to the army with Johnston to partici-
pate in the negotiations for surrender
on the best possible terms with Sher-
man, some one suggested that Rea.
gan should be one of the party.
eyes," said Jefferson Davis, "let
Reagan go, too. He's got more sense
than any OF u.s."
"That, I thought" said Gen. John
ston, with smile, as he told this
reminisecence to the writer" was
quite a compliment, coming from the
source it did"
Mr.. Reagan drafted the articles
under which the last army Of the
Confederacy surrendered. How
Sherman was outwitted is q matter
Of history. A little later the Texan
was captured with Mr.. Davis and
sent to prison. And there he wrote
"The Address to the People Of Tex
u.s." which will live after him, and for
which his recent election to the SEN
ate is only the pardon in full from
those to whom the good advice was
given.
FOUND AT THE PLow.
Released in October, 1854, Reagan
went home, almost in ignominy, to
his farm in Anderson county. He
made no retraction or modification
Of the sentiments he had expressed
in prison. Years afterwards, when
Texas had passed through the worst
of the reconstruction ordeal, dele
cation OF citizens came to the Reagan
farm. They found the old man
plowing in q field. Rather awkward
ly they explained the object of their
coming. There seemed to be On OPP
portunity at last for the reorganiza-
ton of the Democratic party; meet
ing was to be held and they wanted
him for the speaker His reply was
that he was afraid he could not say
anything encouraging or pleasing.
His position was the same as it had
been expressed in the address which
had been SO bitterly criticised and he
could not depart from it. But the
citizens said "coma," and lie went.
Ten years after that address, Rea-
gan re entered public life as q men,
Der of the Texas Constitutional Con-
vention of 1875. His neighbors we're
the first to return to him, with all
his once obnoxious views. Then his
district said, "You were right, We
were wrong" and sent him to the
Forty-fourth Congress. He has been
reelected by increasing majorities
ever since, and was returned to. the
Fiitieth Congress practically without
opposition.
vrNDIcATIoN AT LAST.
Some time before the last Sena-
torial election. Reagan began to. be
talked about as q candidate for Max
ey's seat. Senator Coke said to him:
IF you are going into this contest
decline to he q candidate for the
House, declare yourself and stump
the State" Reagan shook bis head.
He knew his district wanted him, and
he didn't know then that the State
did. He was not in the field for the
Senate at the November election.
Not candidate for the Legislature
was pledged to him. 1t was only
when he came back to Washington,
duu buc nuCCcbb VI buC itoh1oatC Cohi-
merce Legislation, to which ne has
been stubbornly devoted since the
Forty-ffth Congress- was assured.
that he was formally announced as
competitor Of Ireland, .Maxey and
Terrell
When the first ballot reached
Washington, Senator Coke, who is
probably the best Of all the judges OF
Texas sentiment, said: "That settles
it. Reagan will be elected. With
out any pledged strength he takes
the lead. He will gain by every
break and be elected So he was.
The country says the interstate COM
merce bill did it. Perhaps that is
true, bat doubtless in the midst Of
all this hail-the- conquering-hero-
comes business the memory Of the
old man turns backward 10 those ten
years on the Anderson county farm
when Texas remembered him only
with scorn, because be bad dared to
tell the truth and offer statesmanlike
advice. w. b s.